AUBURN, Alabama -- Auburn's defense is turning a corner when it comes to fundamentals.

The Tigers are giving up yards in bunches (464 yards per game), but they're also keeping opponents out of the end zone by wrapping up players in the open field. They extended their streak of possessions without a touchdown to 19 in the 38-9 victory Saturday against Arkansas State.

The game film told the story Sunday for defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson, which featured plenty of positive plays and more corrections for the veteran play-caller to make in practices.

"The tackling was probably an A-minus," he said. "It was good at times, it was physical. It was more physical than it has been, but we had some that looked a little ugly -- some space tackles that we've got to start making. Those are critical because it gives up a lot of those extra yardage. Guys, I think, sometimes are trying to take a little bit too aggressive shots. Sometimes you've just got to make the sure tackle."

Johnson pointed to several incorrect reads and tackling errors inside the tackle box. The linebackers had "a couple of glaring mis-tackles that I didn't think were hard tackles," he said, but added that they played much better against Arkansas State's hurry-up, run-first offense compared to Washington State's Air Raid that utilized only 23 run plays.

The Red Wolves ran the ball 39 times for 150 yards, but averaged only 1.9 yards per carry in the first half (39 total rushing yards). The Tigers' run defense gave up plenty of big runs in the second half, with six covering 12 yards or more.

Arkansas State was 8-for-18 on third-down conversions, but Auburn stopped the Red Wolves on all three fourth-down tries.

"But we're giving up first downs on those second downs," Johnson said. "Overall, we're way down on allowing first downs by opponents, and that's got to stop."

Auburn is giving up 26 first downs per game, which ranks 118th nationally and last in the SEC.

The aggressiveness also cost the Tigers a few times on scrambles by quarterback Adam Kennedy, who finished with 74 yards, including a long of 28 yards, on the ground.

"(Holland) had one real glaring miss-tackle on a quarterback scramble," Johnson said. "He was going to go match-up with the receiver and changed his mind late. It looked like he overran the quarterback but he really made a bad decision."

Johnson pointed to players, including linemen, for making good inside moves, for example, but simply not finishing the play. Still, the Tigers got plenty of pass rush with a season-high 22 quarterback hurries and 13 tackles for loss on run and pass plays.

"A lot of times it’s our young players," Johnson said. "Maybe we've got a twist game on between two players and they’re not operating them correctly or they’re forgetting to even do it, busting them. Other times they are happening on downs when we haven’t got our rabbits on the field and they are just outrunning our tackles."